Social correspondence card construction



Sept. 3, 1968 F. KIRCHOF SOCIAL CORRESPONDENCE CARD CONSTRUCTION Filed May 25, 1967 .llml m INVENTOR.

FRED KIRCHOF ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,399,825 SOCIAL CORRESPONDENCE CARD CONSTRUCTION Fred Kircliof, P.O. Box 1621, Phoenix, Ariz. Filed May 25, 1967, Ser. No. 641,334

1 Claim. (Cl. 22992.8)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a correspondence card suitable for use in formal social correspondence.

More particularly, the invention concerns a novel social correspondence card which can be sealed to present the appearance of a sealed private communication but which can be opened withoutmutilation of the card which would destroy its aesthetic appearance, thereby rendering it unsuitable for use in formal correspondence.

In other aspect, the invention concerns a social correspondence card, as described above, which is adhesively sealed but in which the adhesive is hidden from touch or view after the communication is opened for reading by the recipient.

In still another aspect, the invention relates to social correspondence card constructions in which the privacy of the contents of the communication is enhanced.

Social correspondence is typically and commonly carried out by writing the desired message upon stationery of suitable weight, color and proportions, folding the stationery and inserting the same in a mailing envelope which is then sealed for delivery to the recipient. In general, the use of so-called postcards is not common for social correspondence inasmuch as the contents thereof are not maintained private during transport from the writer to the recipient. This lack of privacy detracts seriously from the social acceptability of such communications, and postcards have generally been limited to use in semi-business type correspondence, advertising, and short informal messages. In an attempt to remedy the displeasing aesthetic character of messages written on postcards, it has been proposed to provide various constructions which can be sealed after writing and thereafter opened by the recipient of the message. However, such previous constructions require the use of tabs, sealable flaps, or other projections which detract from the appearance of the cardbefore writing and, when received, must be torn or otherwise displaced so as to provide an even more displeasing aesthetic appearance after opening by the recipient.

It would be highly advantageous to provide a social correspondence card which can be sealed to discourage reading of the contents and which presents the appearance of a sealed private communication, but which presents a perfectly rectangular shape after it is opened and which avoids the use of mechanical contrivances or interlocking notches, die cuts or separately attached extraneous sealing devices.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a correspondence card which can be "Ice sealed after the message is written to present the appearance of a sealed private communication and which, after opening by the recipient, does not disclose the means for sealing the card.

Another object of the invention is to provide a social correspondence card which, when opened by the recipient, presents a clean, aesthetic, unmarred and untorn appearance.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such social correspondence card constructions which suit the requirements of social stationery but which provide the convenience in handling and mailing heretofore provided by so-called common postcards.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a social correspondence card construction meeting the requirements of social stationery in terms of aesthetic appearance and the ability to present the appearance of a sealed private communication.

These and other, further, and more specific objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a social correspondence card construction embodying the present invention, the card being shown in its opened condition ready for writing or reading;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the card construction of FIG. 1 chosen for purposes of illustration in which the card is partially folded to show the method of sealing thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the construction of FIGS. 12 taken along section line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the back surface of the card construction of FIGS. 1-3 showing the area reserved for address and postage; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the card construction of FIGS. 1-4 after it is opened by the recipient.

Briefly, in accordance with the invention, I provide a correspondence card construction which presents the appearance of a sealed private communication to the recipient thereof comprising a rectangularly shaped card divided by a transverse fold line into an upper panel and a lower panel. The fold line is located closer to the bottom of the card than to the top. The card has an area for writing the message which includes the entire area of the lower panel and that portion of the upper panel which is masked when the lower panel is folded upwardly against the upper panel. This provides a writing-free area on the upper portion of the panel which remains visible when the lower panel is folded upwardly. The writingfree area contains a return address area and a decorative emblem seal area. The decorative emblem seal area is located horizontally closer to the center of the card than to the sides thereof. A decorative emblem seal tab is formed integrally with and extends downwardly from the lower edge of the card. A line of perforations is provided at the juncture of the tab and the lower edge of the card. The tab has a decorative design on the back surface and an adhesive on the front surface. When the lower panel is folded upwardly. the seal tab registers with the decorative emblem seal area on the upper panel. The adhesive on the tab seals the tab to the decorative emblem seal area, holding the lower panel folded upwardly against the upper panel to conceal the written message. The address and postage are afiixed to the reverse sides of the upper panel. When received, the communication is opened by separating the tab from the lower edge of the lower panel along the line of perforations. After it is opened, the correspondence card presents a perfectly rectangular shape to the recipient which is not marred by tears or other mutilation and which is aesthetically proper from the standpoint of formal social correspondence. The sealing tab remains adhesively secured to the upper panel, providing a decorative emblem such as a monogram or the like above the written message.

Turning now to the drawings which, taken in conjunction with the detailed description thereof, will enable persons skilled in the art to practice the invention and to identify the presently preferred embodiments thereof, FIG. 1 is a plan view of a correspondence card construction embodying the features and advantages of the present invention. The card is generally rectangular in shape, as shown, and is provided with a scored transverse fold line 2 located closer to the bottom edge 3 than to the top edge 4. When the bottom panel, generally indicated by reference character A. is folded upwardly along the fold line 2 into contact with the upper panel, generally indicated by reference character B, that portion of the card below the dashed line 5 is not visible and, therefore, provides a writing area for the placement of a message which can be maintained private during transmission of the message to the recipient. That portion of the card which lies above the dashed line 5 remains visible during transmission of the massage and is maintained free of writing. The writing-free area above the dashed line 5 includes a decorative emblem seal area 6 and a return address area 7. The decorative emblem seal area 6 is vacant before the card is sealed and provides a space to which the sealing tab is adhesively secured after the message is written and the communication is sealed The seal tab 8 is formed integrally with the card, and the juncture 9 between the tab 8 and the lower edge 3 of the card is perforated so that the tab can be easily separated from the lower edge 3 when the communication is opened by the recipient.

Referring to FIG. 2, after the massage is written, the lower panel A is folded upwardly and the sealing tab 8 is adhesively secured to the decorative emblem seal area 6 to secure the card in the folded position. For this purpose, the front surface 8a of the seal tab 8 is provided with adhesive. The rear surface 8b of the tab carries a decorative emblem which may be, for example, a monogram, geometric design or the like.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 33 of FIG. 2 and shows the card in its fully folded condition with the tab 8 adhesively secured to the front face of the upper panel B in the decorative emblem seal area.

After sealing, as shown in FIG. 4, the address of the recipient is written on the back surface of the upper panel B, the postage stamp 11 is affixed, and the card is now ready for mailing.

When received, the recipient opens the card by separating the tab 8 from the lower panel A along the perforated line 9. The card is then opened, presenting the appearance shown in FIG. 5. The decorative emblem 8b of the tab 8 appears in the upper central portion of the upper panel B, the return address 7 appears in the upper right-hand portion of the upper panel B, and the written communication and signature of the writer appear in the writing area on the front surfaces of the upper and lower panels. It will be noted that after opening, the card has a perfectly rectangular shape and is neither mutilated nor elfaced with exposed adhesives or mechanical contrivances such as notches, die cuts, etc.

In the preferred embodiment, the adhesive is a moisturesensitive composition such as is commonly used for sealing envelopes and the like, although pressure-sensitive 4 materials can be used if desired: In general, I find it preferable to employ a relatively heavy weight of paper such as that found in the normal postcard or perhaps slightly heavier in order to promote the privacy of the contents of the communication.

Various minor and immaterial modifications of the embodiment of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration will occur to those skilled in the art having regard for the disclosure hereof. To the extent that such minor and immaterial variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope of the invention which is defined by a just interpretation of the following claims.

Having fully described my invention and the presently preferred embodiments thereof, I claim:

1. A social correspondence card which presents the appearance of a sealed private communication to the recipient thereof, comprising:

(a) a generally rectangularly shaped card having a front and back surface, upper and lower edges and substantially continuous sides, said card being divided by a transverse scored fold line parallel to said edges and located closer to the bottom edge than to the top edge, said fold line dividing said card into (1) an upper panel, and (2) a lower panel adapted to fold upwardly against said upper panel along said fold line;

(b) a writing area substantially free of perforations on the front of said card, said writing area including (1) the entire area of the front surface of said lower panel, and

(2) that portion of the front surface of said upper panel which is masked when said lower panel is folded upwardly as aforesaid;

(c) a writing-free area on the front surface of said card defined by that portion of said upper panel which remains visible when said lower panel is folded upwardly as aforesaid, said writing-free area including (1) a decorative emblem seal area horizontally located generally closer to the center of said card than to the sides thereof, and

(2) a return-address area;

(d) a decorative emblem seal tab depending from the lower edge of said card, said tab being formed integrally with said card and having a line of perforations extending along the juncture of said tab and said lower edge, said tab having (1) a decorative design on the back surface thereof, and

(2) an adhesive on the front surface thereof;

said tab registering with and adapted to be adhesively secured to said decorative emblem seal area when said lower panel is folded upwardly as aforesaid, said lower panel being releasable from said upper panel after said tab is adhesively secured thereto by separating along said line of perforations without mutilation of the card.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,430,626 11/ 1947 Weinschenk 22992.8 3,303,987 2/1967 Caine 22992.8 3,352,481 11/1967 Kirchof 229--92.1

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner. 

